David Beckham, the great man from England and Manchester United, and Rangers midfielder Tom Lawrence in the main photo
Tom Lawrence, like the great majority of young players to come through Manchester United’s junior system, struggled to make a name for himself in the starting lineup at Old Trafford.
During his twelve years on the books at his childhood idols, the Welsh midfielder made just one appearance in a competitive setting.
Wes Brown, one of the individuals who did make the cut, believes the Rangers player will still have cultivated a winning mindset while playing for the English powerhouses.
Brown, who won the Premier League five times and the Champions League twice, undoubtedly benefited from growing up around some of the greatest players of all time.
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After leaving United in 2014, Lawrence—who has subsequently played for Rangers, Blackburn Rovers, Cardiff City, Ipswich Town, Derby County and Leicester City—has never taken home a trophy, let alone a title.
But will Philippe Clement’s team’s efforts to win the Premiership prove to be much aided by the foundation he gained and the habits he formed during his early professional career?
It’s what his former clubmate thinks.
“We used to go to The Cliff when I was growing up,” Brown remarked earlier this week when in Edinburgh to promote the July friendly between Manchester United and Rangers at Murrayfield.
The first team, the reserves, the under-23s, and the under-18s were all housed in one tiny structure. You were constantly passing by a well-known person.
“So you were looking up and saw David Beckham and Eric Cantona strolling by.” “What is going on?” is what’s on your mind.
However, you soon discover that no one, no matter how successful they are, how wealthy they are, or what they have accomplished, is conceited.
“On the pitch, they strive for greater success, they don’t accept defeat, and they always show a high level of dedication.” That was also said by Sir Alex Ferguson, the manager.
“It was always football, it was always about winning. Our goal is to be the best squad and to demonstrate our abilities. And that was all. We were aware of that. It always helps to have that kind of personality.
“I always took it upon myself to have a little fun with the younger guys and make them understand that it was all about winning, simple as that,” the player said after breaking into the first squad.
The former England international Brown recalls Lawrence as a young, bright prospect at United, so he is not shocked to see Lawrence go on to have a lengthy, respectable career after departing.
He answered, “Tom was on the youth team.” “I observed him during their matches. Being on the youth squad at the time was beneficial because you got to play with some pretty talented players.
“A significant number of young people have passed through. However, they haven’t always succeeded at Manchester United. The first team’s strength was the issue.
Danny Wellbeck, Jonathan Greening, Kieran Richardson, and Phil Bardsley were among the Man United players that saw action frequently. The manager believed they weren’t quite there for whatever reason. However, they continued and had excellent careers. That always seems to come from having a solid foundation.
“For me, Eric Harrison—may God bless his soul—was the major player. They dubbed him the tiny gaffer. Although he is better renowned for the Class of ’92, he also served as my manager. In the most polite way imaginable, he would essentially tell you how it was and what it was going to require.
“You guys need to mature quickly. The most important thing is to work hard. We know you’re talented, but if you watch these guys workout every day, you’ll realise that they have experience and can run faster than you can. That is what you must develop into.
Brown knew that Lawrence having to move on to play was no shame because he watched Gerard Pique, the renowned centre half who would go on to win the European Championship, World Cup, and Champions League three times with Barcelona, fail to make the cut at United.
“Pique is the best example,” he remarked. “We were all aware of his excellence. Even though he was still young and developing, we all believed he would make a great player. However, we never considered that we would separate Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand. That was never going to occur.
But it was fantastic at the time, particularly because there were still a lot of teams who would see you play in the youth squad and say, “Well, he’s not going to make the first team, but we really like what we see, and he has good traits.” Players would then sign with major teams and enjoy successful careers.
“We all know what Tom can do,” Brown continued. He is a captivating athlete. Even though you can see he has skill, he could probably be more consistent. He is a huge football fan. He performed admirably at Derby despite challenging conditions.
Now that he is thirty, he may have reconsidered his decision to travel to Scotland because at some point, you want to push yourself a little bit. For him, it’s a little different and an opportunity to fight for prizes in Europe, which will have been crucial because he is capable.
Now that he is an adult, he wants to rejoin a team with the necessary players, play in Europe, and challenge some of the top teams overseas where the bar is higher. I’ve observed time and time again that when you perform at a higher level, you elevate yourself, and perhaps Tom experiences this as well.
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